Combined push plate and letter drop for full-vision doors



Nov. 28, 1950 L. M. SANDERS 2,531,703

COMBINED PUSH PLATE AND LETTER DROP FOR FULL-VISION DOORS Filed Dec. 51, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fiji 5. k.

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L. M. COMBINED PUSH PLATE AND LETTER DRGP FOR FULL-VISION DOORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 4 Am xwv 5 9 HIWKM /46 76 W Nov. 28, 1950 L. M. SANDERS COMBINED PUSH PLATE AND LETTER DROP FOR FULL-VISION DOORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 31, 1947 Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE Lewis M. Sanders, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 31, 1947, Serial No. 795,039

This invention relates to improvements in a combined push plate and letter drop for fullvision doors of the type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 696 652 filed September 13, 1946.

Full-vision doors of the type disclosed in my copending application embody a door and door frame fabricated from metal to provide a complete unit suitable for installation within a building. Briefly, the door is preferably constructed of hollow extruded sections of light-weight metal, such as aluminum to provide top, bottom and side rail members welded together at their ends to form a relatively strong construction suitable to receive and support a rectangular-shaped plate glass panel. The door frame comprises a top transverse member and a pair of upright post members of angle iron section welded together attheir ends to provide a jam Wall and abutment wallfor the door. A threshold plate is welded or otherwise securedto the lower ends of the side post members. To provide a full-vision door construction, the abutment wall provided on the top transverse memberand the upright post members extends inwardly the full width of the top and side rail members of the door. necessary to secure a push plate. to the inner edge of one of the side rails to project inwardly from the inner edge of the adjacent abutment wall of the. door frame.

It is thus 3 Claims. his-46) This invention further. contemplates the provision of a combined push plate and letter drop embodyinga lock mechanism for locking the door against pivotal movement relative to the The present invention contemplates the .pro-

visicnof a combined push plate and letter drop for the type of door illustrated in the above mentioned pending application, and has for an object the provision of a structure 1 of this type embodying inner and outer frame members mounted on oppositesides of a plate glass panel and secured to the inner side of an adjacent side rail of the door. The inner and outer frame members are formed with elongated apertures which are adaptedto normally be closed by means of covered plates hingedly connected at their upper ends to their respective frame members. The cover plate adjacent the abutment flange of the door frame is formed with raised portions or impressions defining the Word push; While the other cover plate is formed withimpressions or raised portions defining the word pull." When the inner and outer frame members are mountedupon the side rail of a door, the inner and outer cover plates are in registry with the rectangular opening formed in the plate glass panel of the door. By providing a letter. drop in the push plate, the letter drop islata convenlent height for the insertionof mail through the door and is concealed fromithc publlc view.

door frame.

This invention further contemplates the pro vision of a combined push plate and letter drop which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install and which does not detract from the full vision or appearance of the door;

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view showing a combined push plate and letter drop mounted on the side rail of the door which, in turn, is hingediy. mounted within a door frame.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail rear clevational view showing the combined push plate and letter drop secured on the side rail of the door.

Fig. l is :a detail sectional view taken along the line t& of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5- 5 of Fig.1.

Fig; 6 is a detail "sectional view taken along the line t-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. '7 is a front elevational view illustrating a modified form of the combined push plate and letterdrop.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational View of same.

9 is a vertical sectional View taken along the line 99 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line |ll| El ofFig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of this invention, the single door and frame construction is shown as comprising a door which is generally indicated at I! and a frame which is generally indicated at 10. The door H comprises a toprail is, a bottom rail l3 and side rails l4l A which are preferably formed of hollow extruded metallic sections andlwelded together attheir ends to form a rigid integral door structure capable of supporting a panel [6 formed of plate glass or other material. The panel 16 is secured in position between opposite faces of the rail members bymeans of molding strips I! and Is which, in turn, are secured. to

the inner faces of the door members l2, l3 and I4 bymeans of screws 19. A resilient gasket 21 is provided to enclose the marginal edge of the panel l6. It willbe noted that the door H as shown and described presents the same appearance from either side thereof and is therefore capable of being hingedly connected from either side rail 4 thereof and with either side of the door positioned for abutting engagement with a door frame.

The door frame it! is shown as comprising a top transverse member 22, upright side post members 23-23, and a threshold or anchor plate 24 which are formed of metal and welded together at their ends to provide a rigid integral structure. As illustrated in Figs. 1 through 6, the frame members 22 and 23 are angle iron shape in cross section to provide an abutment wall 26 and a jam wall 21 for the door II. In order to provide a neat finished appearance and to meet the desired structural requirements, the abutment wall 26 and jam wall 2! are formed to substantially enclose the adjacent faces of the door rails 12 and M. A dovetail groove 28 is formed in the abutment wall 25 of the frame members 22 and 23 to receive a resilient weather strip 29 formed of felt, rubber or the like.

The door H is pivotally connected to the door frame I!) by means of a hinge 3'! which preferably extends throughout the length of the door and with its two hinge arms 32 and 33 interposed between the inner face of the jam wall 2'! of a post member 23 and the adjacent face Of the side rail I 4. The arms 32 and 33 of the hinge are secured to a side rail l4 and post 23, respectively, by means of screws 34.

It will be noted that the hinge 3! ma be inserted between the side rail i4 and post 23 at either side of the frame depending upon whether it is desired to open the door to the left or to the right. It will also be noted that the door frame It may be positioned to permit the door H to swing either inwardly or outwardly relative to the interior of a room.

The combined push plate and letter drop is shown as comprising an outer frame 4| and an inner frame 42 which are secured in spaced parallel relation on opposite sides of the plate glass panel I6 to the inner side wall of a side rail l4 by means of screws |9. While the frame members 4| and 42 may be formed of any suitable material, they are preferably formed of steel or aluminum and provided with a suitable finish on their outer surfaces. The frame members 4| and 42 are secured to each other by means of a plurality of screws 43 which extend through the inner frame member for engagement in threaded apertures 44 formed in the outer frame member 4|.

The frame members 4! and 42 are formed with elongated apertures 48 and 41, respectively, which are normally closed by means of a front cover push plate 48 and inner cover pull plate 49, respectively. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the upper end of the push plate 48 is pivotally connected at to the upper end of the outer frame member 4|. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the outer surface of the push cover plate 48 is flush with the outer surface of the frame member 4| to present a smooth unbroken appearance. The push plate 48 is also formed with depressions or raised surfaces 52 to define the word push. If desired, the impressions or raised portions 52 may be of a different color than the adjacent surfaces. The upper end of .the inner cover plate 49 is pivotally connected at 53 to the inner frame member 42, and has its outer surface formed with impressions or raised surfaces '54 defining the word pull. The outer surface of the cover plate 49 is preferably termed flush with the outer surface of the inner plate 42 to present a smooth uninterrupted surface. It will be noted that the cover plates 48 and 49 are hinged for pivotal movement in opposite direc- 5 tions and that they are normally disposed in closed position within their respective apertures 46 and 41 by gravity. If desired, a suitable spring clip 56 may be provided on the free end of the push cover plate 48 for engagement in a recess 57 formed in the frame member 4|. The spring clip 56 would act to yieldably resist outward pivotal movement with the push cover plate 48. If desired, a spring member 58 may be provided on the free end of the inner cover plate 49 to yieldably resist opening movement of the cover plate.

An opening 59 is formed in the plate glass panel I 6 to register with the openings 46 and 41 formed in the frame members 4| and 42, respectively. A suitable handle 6| is secured to the side rail I4 0 adjacent the inner frame member 42.

plate 49 which is thus caused to pivot upwardly to permit the mail to pass through the opening 41 formed in the inner frame member 42. After the mail has been inserted through the letter drop, cover plates 48 and 49 will swing downward- 1y by gravity to their closed positions within their respective apertures 46 and 41.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 7 to 10 in the drawings, a modified form of combined push plate and letter drop is shown as comprising an outer frame member 66 and an inner frame member 61 which are adapted to be secured to the inner face of a door rail and against opposite faces of the panel I6 by means of suitable screws passing through apertures 68.

The inner and outer frame members in this form of the invention may be constructed from extruded sheets and sections brazed or welded together, or they may be formed from stampings brazed or welded together. As the inner and outer frame members are formed of similar parts, only the, outer frame member will be herein described, but corresponding reference numerals followed by the letter a will be applied to the inner frame member bl. The outer frame member 66 is shown as comprising a pair of angle plates H and i2 secured in spaced parallel relation to a pair of angle clips 13 and 14 and a pair of channel members 16 and 11. A spacing plate 18 is secured. to the angle clip 14 and channel member Tl between the angle plates 'H and I2.

A cover plate '18 is pivotally connected on a hinge pin 8| provided at the upper end of the frame member 65. The cover plate 19 is adapted to present a smooth flush appearance with the front faces of the angle members H and 12 and to cover the aperture 82 defined in the outer frame member by the angle members 1| and 12, angle clip l4 and channel member 16. The inner and outer frame members 66 and 61 are secured against opposite sides of the panel I6 by means of bolts or screws 83 passing through apertures formed in the channel members 16 and 11. A lock chamber 84 is provided between the lower ends of the frame members 66 and 6'! to receive a suitable lock mechanism 86. The lock mechanism 36 is provided with a suitable locking bolt (not shown) to extend through a door rail ll into an aperture (not shown) formed in the jam (6 ill '5 9? PO5 member Ill. The cover plates l9 and 19a are formed with impressions or raised portions 81 defining the words push and pull, respectively.

It will be noted that the modified form of this invention, as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, may be inexpensively fabricated from stampings or extruded members, brazed, welded or otherwise secured together to form a lightweight, rigid structure. It will further be noted that this form of combined push plate and letter drop may be positioned at either side of a door as the inner and outer frame members are of similar construction.

While this invention has been shown in but two forms, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the pirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A door structure comprising a top rail, a bottom rail, and side rails, said rails being formed of hollow extruded metal welded together at their ends to define a panel aperture, 3, plate glass panel mounted in said panel aperture, said panel having an opening therein adjacent the medial portion of one of said side rails, a metallic inner frame member, a metallic outer frame member, means to secure adjacent sides of said inner and outer frame members in cantilever fashion to the medial portion of the side rail adjacent said opening and on opposite sides of said panel, said outer frame member being disposed on said side rail to serve as a push plate in opening the door, each of said frame members being formed with an elongated vertically disposed letter slot for registry with the opening in said panel, each of said frame members being provided with a cover plate to close its respective letter slot.

2. A door structure comprising a top rail, a bottom rail, and side rails, said rails being formed of hollow extruded metal welded together at their ends to define a panel aperture, a plate glass panel mounted in said panel aperture, said panel having an opening therein adjacent the medial portion of one of said side rails, a metallic inner frame member, a metallic outer frame member, means to secure adjacent sides of said inner and outer frame members in cantilever fashion to the medial portion of the side rail adjacent said opening and on opposite sides of said panel, said outer frame member being disposed on said side rail to serve as a push plate in opening the door, means disposed within said opening to secure said frame members against relative movement, each of said frame members being formed with an elongated vertically disposed letter slot for registry with the opening in said panel, each of said frame members being provided with a cover plate to close its respective letter slot.

3. A door structure comprising a toprail, a bottom rail, and side rails, said rails being formed of hollow extruded metal welded together at their ends to define a panel aperture, a plate glass panel mounted in said panel aperture, said panel having an opening therein adjacent the medial portion of one of said side rails, a metallic inner frame member, a metallic outer frame member, means to secure adjacent sides of said inner and outer frame members in cantilever fashion to the medial portion of the rail adjacent said opening and on opposite sides; of said panel, said outer frame member being disposed on said side rail to serve as a push plate in opening the door, means disposed within said opening to secure said frame members against relative movement, each of said frame members being formed with an elongated vertically disposed letter slot for registry with the opening in said panel, each of said frame members being provided with a cover plate to close its respective letter slot, the outer surfaces of said cover plates being flush with the outer surfaces of their respective frame members, said cover plates being hinged at their upper ends to their respective frame members and marked to indicate the direction of movement of the door.

LEWIS M. SANDERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 231,031 Free Aug. 10, 1880 584,459 Chaney June 15, 1897 1,961,006 Marty Ma 29, 1934 2,267,572 Moynahan Dec. 23, 1941 

